Claiming their Omega (Suzi de Beer) novel Chapter 10

10. DAISY

I have never seen so many toys in one place before.

Clothes yes.

The man had more clothes than my mother and stepsister combined. Some of it had never been worn before and then there were a few pieces that were so well–worn that it had holes in it.

I tried to keep my focus on the task at hand, but it was nearly impossible with the bed covered in toys and Elias sitting in the middle. Whenever I glanced up at him it was to find him studying a different toy.

“A few years ago, before Val was so well–known, he worked on a case. The woman owns a sex shop. As part of her gratitude for helping her, she sent him toys every month,” Elias said softly, drawing my attention back to him. “I didn’t know that she was still sending him toys.”

I bit my lip to stop the questions from tumbling past them. Their conversation from earlier drifted through my mind. They had been talking about playing dirty.

“There are a few interesting ones.” He chuckled as he picked up another box. “Who comes up with these names?”

Picking up another shirt, I made hasty work of folding it and then placing it aside. It was the last of the pile. My shoulders sagged when I realized that all the clothes that I had dropped on the floor had already been folded.

I stood, but Elias caught my attention once again.

Colour flooded my cheeks as I watched him turn a toy around in his hands. It wasn’t in its box like most of the other toys had been. How can he touch that? He didn’t know if it had been used or cleaned after being used.

“Don’t look at me like that, flower.”

My eyes snapped up to his. “You don’t know if he cleaned that after…after using it.”

“He hasn’t used it,” he said.

“How can you be so sure?”

He shrugged. “I would have known about it if he had.”

“Are you…do you…” I trailed off, words failing me.

“Do we fuck?” he asked. “Are we together? Is that what you want to know?”

It was better if we remained strangers. In a few days I would be back home, and they would be forgotten.

But I wanted to know, so I nodded and waited for him to answer.

“We met in foster care,” he said softly. “It was hard to fit in. For some reason, we kind of drifted towards each other.”

Walking over to the bed, I took a seat on the edge and waited for him to continue. Elias stared at the wall for a few minutes before he looked at me.

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“We formed our own little family. There was always the possibility of getting adopted, we knew that, but after a few years when it didn’t happen, we just gave up.”

“So you never got adopted?” I asked softly.

He smiled. “We did. They wanted Valiant because he’s the youngest, but somehow he ended up convincing them to adopt all of us. We went from having no family to suddenly being surrounded by family.”

“It must have been strange at first.”

“It was a hell of an adjustment. Everything was different than what we were use to. We had two moms and three dads, grandparents, cousins…” He shook his head. “It was a lot to take in, but we got used to it.”

“Is that why you don’t have any trouble being a pack?” I asked him. “Because you grew up together.”

“Probably. Now to get to your question. We have experimented, but we’ve never gotten as far as fucking.”

“Oh.”

It was not what I expected to hear.

“You sound disappointed,” Elias noted.

“I’m not!” I instantly denied it.

“Have you ever experimented with anyone?” he asked after a few minutes of silence.

I avoided eye contact when I shook my head.

“Not even a kiss?”

“After the kidnapping I…” I trailed off, unsure how to continue. “I avoid everyone. I had…have some issues. Because I refused to go anywhere, I don’t have any friends or know people to experiment with.”

Elias didn’t say anything.

I stood and started packing Valiant’s clothes back into his closet.

“These issues…does it have anything to do with the fairy lights?” Elias asked softly.

I nodded, avoiding eye contact with him as I moved around the room. “Mother said that I shouldn’t tell anybody about my issues, but I think that they should be aware of it in case something happens that triggers a panic attack.”

“Tell me about them,” he urged softly.

I paused. John had warned me to keep my distance. If I told them more about me, there would be no way to keep my distance.

“Daisy.”

I swallowed. “You read my statements about the kidnapping.”

“Yes.”

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“I don’t like the dark,” I said softly. “I don’t like not hearing anything that goes on around me, or being restrained.” I turned to look at him. “Being in the public eye scares me. It’s why I prefer to be at home or locked in my room.”

“It’s your safe place,” he muttered.

I nodded.

“I read the report again, flower,” he said softly. “The bomb didn’t go off because of you. The department did a thorough investigation and found that the bomb went off due to faulty wiring.”

My knees buckled, and my heartbeat increased until I felt sick. Emotions washed through me as he repeated his words.

It couldn’t be true.

They said that it was my fault. I made the man mad, and he made the bomb explode, killing thousands of people.

Cold hands suddenly cupped my cheeks, and tilted my head back to look up at him.

“Are you s–sure?” I questioned.

Elias nodded. “Do you want to read it?”

I hesitated and then nodded. I needed to see with my own eyes that he wasn’t lying to me.

Taking hold of my hand, he led me out of the room and to the other side of the penthouse. We entered another room a few seconds later. I was led around the desk and pushed down into the chair gently.

“Do you want me to go?”

“Stay.

Nodding, Elias crouched next to the chair and handed me some papers.

It could be fake. He was a detective, he had the knowledge to fake reports if it was needed.

I swallowed and then started reading. What I read didn’t make me feel any better. I felt worse. Sicker and sicker until it felt like I was going to pass out.

“T–they lied,” I croaked. “She said it was my fault.”

“Who did?” Elias questioned. “What was your fault?”

I shook my head, allowing the papers to slip from my fingers onto the floor. My vision became blurry as tears filled my eyes. The realization that I had been lied to, that I had been forced to carry this guilt for years made me

angry.

It made me furious.

“The explosion.” I looked at Elias. “Mother said that I made the man mad and that I was the reason he pressed the button. She said it was my fault.”

He cursed. “Why would she do that?”

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“I don’t know.”

As fast as the anger came, it faded. I wrapped my arms around my waist and dropped my chin to my chest.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” I whispered.

“Okay, okay.”

A gasp fell from my lips when he picked me up. I tensed, blinking up at his face as he carried me. I was barely aware of him entering another room until he lowered me to my feet in front of the toilet.

“Still feeling sick?”

I nodded, and dropped to my knees to clutch the cold marble. I stared into the toilet, waiting for the contents of my stomach to rise up my throat.

There was the sound of running water that lasted for a few seconds before it fell silent again.

I jerked when he pressed a cold cloth to my forehead.

Elias’s eyes locked with mine. “I don’t know why she lied to you,” he said softly. “And right now, I don’t care. What matters now is that you know that what happened was never your fault. I want you to let go of the guilt that’s been holding you back. You know the truth now, flower.”

I reached up with a shaky hand and pressed it against his scarred cheek.

His eyes fluttered closed as a shudder raced through his body. He covered my hand with his and tilted his head to the side to lean into my touch.

When he opened his eyes again, they were darker than they had been before.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been touched by a woman, Daisy.” He swallowed loudly. “Since it’s been established that you’re a virgin, I think it’s best I leave before I give into the urge and kiss you.”

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